COVID-19 has been one of the biggest challenges that we have encountered in many decades. It has had a significant impact on how we interact with others, conduct our work, study and many other aspects of our lives. It has brought with it a lot of unexpected change and it is quite common to feel anxious and stressful.

Everyone reacts differently when faced with difficult situations, where some may find this time more challenging than others. To be able to adapt to the changes and cope with the uncertainty, it is crucial to look after our mental wellbeing and find ways to connect in positive and loving ways.

Here are some practical ways that we can protect our wellbeing…

Keep your usual routines

If you’re working from home, stick to your usual mealtimes, bedtimes, etc, as structure helps keep us grounded and calm. If you’re not working at all, write a to-do list for each day so that you have something to achieve.

Don’t forget to clock off as becoming over-tired or fatigued isn’t going to help your mental wellbeing or your organisation. Whether you’re an employee or the business owner, be careful not to overwork.

Choose healthy foods that help boost mental health. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables; wholegrain breads, rice and pastas; and legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas. Keep sugary, salty and foods high in saturated fats to a minimum. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Even if you don’t feel comfortable going to the gym, try to get some exercise. Head outside – garden, go out for a walk or run, but still keep your distance from others. Search the internet for some yoga, Tai Chi or stretch routines, which can also be calming.

Keep in touch with family and whānau, friends and workmates. Depending on the COVID-19 situation, and people’s health, you may need to keep a physical distance. With todays digital age we have many ways to stay connected.

If you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed, use grounding techniques to reconnect you to the present and calm down. These are measures such as controlled breathing, stretches, quick bouts of exercise, or mindfulness techniques.

If you feel like you are becoming distressed, call or text 1737 at any time to talk to a trained professional for free. Contact your psychologist, therapist or counsellor if you have one.

With the government restrictions easing off, parents and whānau have the option of their children returning to their early learning service. Some are uncertain about this, whilst others will be excited to head back to some sense of normal.

Here is how we can help make the transition back a smooth one for our tamariki…

Talk to the team

Discuss all the steps our centre is taking with teachers. Let the team know your concern and work out strategies which apply to your child and family. Check with your paediatrician to understand your health risks.

Practice any new steps for the drop off procedure. It’s a good idea to introduce thermometers and masks to your child as daily temperature check is the new normal and they will see more people with masks around them.

Make sure you have plenty of time for a non-rushed morning.

Discuss with your teachers and bring a safe comforter for the child to start with if needed.

Children’s sleeping pattern and habit might have gone all over the place over the lockdown period, slowly adjust their routine back to normal and let the teachers know about any changes can be really helpful.

It’s important to acknowledge and discuss with your child about how they might feel like. Remember to reassure them that all the fun they will have and you are coming to pick them up at the end of the day.

“Little kids learn and understand through their senses.” It’s helpful to walk or drive by their centre, revisit their learning portfolios which helps remind them about their teachers, peers and fun experiences.

Enjoy some wind down time with your child. Whether its a few minutes before bed or at dinner table to recap your child’s day, play a game, or snuggle together on the couch. It makes your child feel they have not missed out the time with you and provides them that secured feeling they need.

While our children are not experts to express their feelings verbally yet. You might find changes in their behaviours. Since it’s completely normal that you feel sorry about sending them to daycare, you might tend to be less persistent in boundaries. It’s good to keep in mind that having firm and clear limits will help them to regulates their emotions, feel calm and build on resilience.

While you actively prepare yourself and your children to get ready to return, our professional team has also been working hard on resettling our tamariki.

  • We have lots of hugs with our children
  • Sing their favourite waiatas together
  • Ensuring that their areas of play interest are easily accessible
  • Asking/talking about what we all did while at home
  • Keeping consistent with our daily room routines and rituals, to provide a sense of predictability and familiarity
  • Making the most of care rituals (sleeping/nappy changes) to reconnect with children one on one

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